Happy 2010!

I can't believe that the first decade of "the new millennium" has passed and 2010 is here already!

I'm not one for New Year's resolutions - I believe in changing when you are ready, and not waiting for New Year's day, or Monday, or next week to begin anew. That said, I've been feeling for some time that I had to revitalize my much-neglected blog, and so I'll begin today, since that is when I'm ready to!

Here's a belated peek at my holiday cards and this year's wrapping. Several years ago I switched to all white wrapping paper, partly as a way of simplifying my life (I always have appropriate paper on hand for any occasion) and partly because it's a great creative backdrop for me - with beautiful ribbon, my prints, and other embellishments I can always find a fun way to wrap a package.

I'm not really one for choosing the most traditional colors, so instead of having a red and green Christmas, mine was orange and blue! My cards were hand printed orange mittens, and I printed strips of white paper with the mitten pattern in orange and blue, to wrap around my white packages. Then I added tags with the same pattern, and various blue and orange ribbons (I especially like the blue/orange multi stripe ribbon) to complete the packages. I loved that they were fun, warm and unexpected (hmmm, and I'd like to think that description sounds quite a bit like me, too)!

Hazy, Hot and Humid!

Despite being a beach lover, I am definitely not a lover of the hazy, hot and humid days that seem to fill the summer. The past few weeks have been sticky, so I've been hunkered down in the air conditioning, printing, and thinking cool thoughts. Here's a little peek at some of the "cool" designs I've been printing recently.

I'm loving the simplicity of these little snowy woodland creatures which are new to my collection this year.

Now, I don't want you to think I'm wishing summer away, but these do make me fondly remember the joys of a fresh (light!) snowfall.

From my sketchbook...

I love the whole process of creating the designs for my cards - forming the idea in my head, sketching, refining the sketch, carving the block, then finally printing. I love seeing what I have imagined come to life on paper. I thought I'd give you a little peek into my sketchbook (which is always with me!) where the designs begin.

These are initial sketches for some greetings that I am planning for my next product release. They are really rough, but they show the ideas as they first get from my head onto the page. I'll take these sketches and refine them before I transfer them to blocks, carve, and then finally print.

Before the National Stationery Show I created a few holiday greetings similar in style - simple greetings with charming images, in the same color palette as my Assorted Affections collection -a bit non-traditional for the holidays, but I love non-traditional.

I am looking forward to adding to this collection, completing the process with the new sketches - carving and and printing... but first, I have lots of printing to do to fill my current orders, so these will have to wait a bit!

Just a few days left....

... to get everything done for Christmas!

Over the next few days I'll be doing a little shopping, a little wrapping, a little cooking, oh, and yes, a little Christmas carol humming..... and am looking forward to every minute of it.

My family has a big festive get-together on Christmas Eve, this year at my Uncle Pete and Aunt Linda's house. We all bring appetizers and desserts, my aunt Linda makes a big pot of soup and we gather to celebrate. We also exchange our family secret Santa gifts... a tradition that we've enjoyed for, oh, maybe 20 years now. We all really love to be together, and good food, a little wine, and a gag gift or two make it all the more joyful! And if we get through the entire night without setting off the smoke alarm, it's even better!

On Christmas day, I have dinner at my brother and sister-in-law's house. My brother never fails to treat us to an amazing feast, which we enjoy with my sister-in-law's family, and some of my family, and occasionally a friend or two. It's a bit quieter than our Christmas Eve, but just as special.

So, before the start of it all, I've still got a bit of work to do.... shopping, wrapping, and of course, preparing my contributions to the feasts. This year, I've decided on spinach pinwheels for my appetizer for Christmas Eve (a tasty spinach and cheese concoction rolled in puff pastry, sliced and baked... yum!) and of course some home made chocolates for dessert on Christmas day.

Last year, I was quite frazzled before Christmas, barely getting everything done, and my chocolates failed. I have no idea what I did wrong, but it was a disaster (okay, that may be a little strong, but I was disappointed with the results, and my family and friends were disappointed in the lack of chocolates!). This year, I'm planning on things going better. So today I start. I'll be making the filling for my chocolate raspberry truffles and coconut candies, so that tomorrow they'll be ready to dip in the chocolate coating. Also on the candy agenda... white chocolate peppermint bark and dark chocolate cherry almond bark... but these are easy so I can put them off until Monday or Tuesday.

Well, if I'm going to get all this done, I'd better get my shovel and move that foot of snow out of my way so I can go to the grocery store!